Abrasive machine



March 3935- v. R. PALLAS 2,033,393

ABRASIVE MACHINE Filed Aug. 2'7, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l --fia VERNON RPALLAS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

WWW

March 10, 1936.

v. R. PALLAS 2,@33,393

ABRASIVE MACH INE Filed Aug. 27, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 VERNON K. 1 ALLAS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

10, 1936. R, PALLAS 2,@33,393

ABRASIVE MACHINE Filed Aug. 27, 1954 4 sheets-sheet 5 VERNON R. PALLAS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 10, 1936. R PALLAS 2,033,393

ABRASIVE MACHINE Filed Aug. 27, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 26 Claims.

The present invention broadly relates to the art of abrasive or surface finishing machinery, and more particularly pertains to an improved stroking machine of the multiple head type that is especially adapted to apply a superior smooth finish to filler impregnated fish lines, also other braided or twisted cords of a textile nature and to wires, metallic rods or the like materials. In the fabrication of strandlike products of this kind, the surface thereof is usually left rough in spots, irregularly glossy and otherwise in need of a more perfect finish; my device grinds, polishes and otherwise processes such articles to rectify surface imperfections and thereby enhance the quality and marketability of such goods.

The object of my improvements is to provide for a relatively simple, high capacity machine of the indicated character that for a given first cost shall be capable of rapidly and economically processing the surface of an elongated work piece of annular profile, preferably by the use of a continually renewed abrasive medium, also to overcome the prevailing inherently slow operative limitations that have heretofore restricted the productive capacity of similar abrasive instrumentalities, especially when working upon softer products that are likely to unduly load the abrasive medium. My machine is especially adapted to hold long lengths of such products to a given diametral size irrespective of the attrition rate at which the abrasive material wears down or otherwise becomes spent.

To this end, a plurality of head means are devised, each equipped with a roll of slowly fed sanding tape or equivalent abrasive medium that are simultaneously advanced crosswise of the head axis into operative engagement with the treated product in radially different directions. A wire or impregnated textile strand may be suspended under tension through one or more such abrasive head means to impart the desired superior facing to the work piece while it is being steadily advanced longitudinally onward. In treating the surface of coated fish lines or the like intrinsically frail and inherently pliable work pieces, such abrasive action is most advantageously carried on in a series of steps. In so far as any one grinding step is concerned, this is herein kept commensurate with the twistable nature or lack of rigidity of the treated strand, although my abrasive machine is also applicable to metallic rod stock and similar rigid products.

My improved devices depend in part upon moving the work piece through one or more cutting heads at a comparatively rapid rate of longitudinal travel so as to permit of effectively treating an extensive surface in a given time, but without need'of any reciprocative head stroking movement in the direction of the spindle axis or requiring a corresponding high cutting speed on part of the abrasive medium; that is to say, as herein practiced, the longitudinal velocity component of the treated strand is primarily relied upon to provide for a fast wiping action and thereby give my relatively slow moving abrasive ample cutting capacity whether the heads are rotated or held stationary.

It is therefore, preferred to work with a plurality of actuated or stationary tubular heads which successively operate upon a continuous strand in order that the reduction in strand size by combined cutting action on part or all my abrasive tapes, may still be kept sufficient in magnitude to impart the desired uniformly smooth or satinlike finish to the processed product. Such 20 stepwise procedure at the same time allows of a relatively high rate of properly finished line travel through the respective heads without however, exerting a longitudinal drag upon a frail work piece falling in excess of its tensile strength. The 25 provision for multiple heads assumes outstanding importance because the rate of line travel may be intensified in direct ratio to the number of heads and the aggregate width of their respective abrasives which are herein cooperatively em- 30 ployed. Such tubular heads when mounted upon separate spindles may be independently rotated or oscillated about the axis of an elongated work piece. 4

In addition, for heads of a given size, the combined storage capacity for abrasive medium is proportionately increased, which in turn, permits 7 my machine to run continuously at a high operative speed for a correspondingly longer period of time without need of-frequent abrasive replacement because of wear or loading. The rate of crossfeed renewal on part of such distributed tape supply may be maintained at substantially fixed gross footage of virgin tape per unit length of processed line irrespective of the number of heads resorted to. a

A principal item of processing expense, resides in the cost of abrasive tapes and for certain purposes, it is the further object of my invention to utilize such material to the utmost advantage so by continuously advancing and thereby renewing the tape to the work piece approximately as fast as the abrasive thereon becomes substantially spent.

Embodied herein are other improved constructive features designed to positively feed the abrasive medium crosswise of the line axis in a definite ratio to the travel rate of the processed work piece. My copending prior application, Serial No. 707,693 as filed January 22, 1934, is descriptive of apparatus that in certain respects is analogous in its teaching to the present disclosure and which latter represents a continuation in part thereof. All of these additional features will hereinafter. be set forth in detail, together with further improvements having to do with controlled reel means adapted to advance the work, piece through one or more of my abrasive heads in both a forward and a reverse direction.

Reference is had to the accompanying four sheets of drawings which are illustrative of certain specific embodiments of my invention, and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 represents aplan arrangement of my multiple head type abrading machine, and Fig. 2 an elevational side view-thereof.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of head spindle assembly taken along line 33 of Figs. 2 and 6; while Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view along 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 depicts certain control details as seen from line 5-5 ofFig, 1.

Fig. 6 shows an elevational end view of the Fig. 3 head assembly.

Fig.7 is similar to Fig. 6 but directed to a modified style of head structure in which a reciprocative abrasive stone is substituted as an equivalent for a sanding tape; and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view thereof along line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 schematically illustrates in plan, certain improved reel means for running a continuous strandlike work piece through one or more spindle heads of my abrading machine; while Fig. 10 represents an elevational side view thereof.

Fig. 11 details a resilient drive applied to my drag drum as taken along II-H of the Fig. 9 disclosure, and Fig. 12 shows a wiring diagram that may be used in the control of said reel means.

Referring first in detail to the Figs. 1 and 2 arrangement, this particular machine disclosure embodies a girderlike bed plate l0 having a supplementary framework ll attached to the rear end thereof. Spacedly disposed crosswise of such bed plate, are one or more pairs of axially aligned bearing pedestals such as l2 and 13, of which the contiguous bored end faces may be kept spaced apart for the reception of control and drive means.

Mounted between each such pair of cooperating pedestals is a tubular spindle l4 which may serve as a trunnion and has a tensioned strand or other elongated work piece 2| threaded centrally therethrough as in Fig. 3. A flanged disc like head l5 may be applied to each spindle end, which oppositely disposed heads are shown angularly displaced into quadrature relationship. Each set of complementary heads constitutes a forward and a rearward spindle or trunnion unit, it being obvious that any desired number of such units can be similarly incorporated and rocked in unison.

A separate adjustable sleeve such as I6 or IT, may rotatably encircle the respective end regions of each spindle and the outermost ends of such complementary sleeves may respectively terminate in a master spur gear such as 18 that is disposed concentrically about the spindle axis. The respective innermost sleeve ends are kept spaced apart and freely interposed therebetween, is a. spindle rocker arm I9. Said spindle may be horizontally mounted within and axially retained by ball bearings .such as 20, which circumscribe the respective sleeves as centered within a different pedestal.

Fixedly mounted to each innermost sleeve end is a drive disc 22 loosely carrying a ratchet ring 23 therearound (see Figs. 3 and 4). Said ring may be provided with internally notched teeth for engagement by the spring actuated pawl 24 that is fulcrumed to the drive disc. Each such ring is equipped with an exteriorly disposed ear lug actuated by a separate ratchet eccentric 25 and which eccentrics are respectively mounted upon a common control shaft 26 so as to oscillate both spindle rings in unison about the circumscribed tubular trunnion I4.

For present purposes, it is preferred to rock successive spindles in reverse directions; to this end, a drive shaft 29 may be run lengthwise of the bed plate, said shaft being superimposed over the sectionalized control shaft 26 to reach the rear frame end as in Fig. 2. This drive shaft may be provided with a coupling 30 and extended to receive the overhanging main drive pulley 3|. Adjacent to this pulley is a pair of similar spur gears 32 and 33 of which one is keyed to the drive shaft 29 and the other secured to the control shaft section 26A to rotate the respective rear shaft ends at approximately identical speeds but in opposed directions as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2.

Said drive and control shafts may be alignedly mounted by a series of split pillow blocks such as 34A and 35A, or 34B and 353. A drive eccentric 36 is interposed between the blocks 34A and 35A and this is operatively connected to the forward spindle rocker arm IS. A duplicate drive eccentric is likewise interposed between the blocks 34B and 353 but set upon the drive shaft 29 in a different angular relationship to its mate (see Fig. 1). It will be obvious that the rotation of the pulley 3| will cause the several -spindles l4 to be oscillated about the centered work piece 2| and that the respective spindle sleeves are made to move in synchronism therewith, except that the ratchet ring mechanism at times allows the sleeve to overtake the spindle.

Each of the movable spindle heads l5 carries its own supply of abrasive medium as preferably but not necessarily stored in roll form of sanding tape. It is to be understood however, that while the illustrated spools carry a supply of tape thereon in the preferred convolute formation, my invention is not confined to this particular formation, since the same result may be attained when the stored tape is compactly stacked in plaited instead of a spiral configuration, which multiple courses respectively typify a specific mode of vernation as used in its broader sense to embrace all such kindred tape courses affording a tape supply commensurate for present purposes.

As disclosed in Figs. 3 and 6, the web plate or disc of each head is joumaled to receive a pair of driven roller pintles 42 which may be parallelly disposed with respect to the spindle axis. Each interiorly overhanging pintle end may be provided with a planet gear such as 43 while each opposite pintle end is fixedly embraced by a feed roller 44 of which the perimetric surface) may be sheathed by a leather covering or other suitable gripping medium. Apawl 41 (see Fig. 4) insures unidirectional rotation on part of such I designated as Cl, that dominates the opposed similar force set up by *the idler roller 45. A supplementary tension spring 40 also serves to urge said idler toward the feed roller 44. When the lever 39 is manually depressed into its dotted position, this facilitates the threading and replacing of my abrasive tape through the various guides shown in the Fig. 6 assembly.

Adjacent to each such feed roller 44 is placed a tape take-up spool such as 48, which may be mounted upon a stanchion extending outwardly from the head face and rotating bodily with the spindle head l5. Bearing frictionally against the outermost flange of the spool 48, is a disc gear 49 that meshes with the feed gear 45, said disc gear being yieldably pressed toward the spool flange by the spring 50. A pair of similar but gearless supply spools 5| may be symmetrically located upon the same disc face. The duplicate abrasive-tapes 52 and 53 are supplied by the respective spools 5| and the respective free roll ends are separably threaded over suitable guide means 54, thence carried to the axial center of the head disc in superimposed relation with the abrasive sides facing each other, and whereupon the re spective tapes are interposed between their mated feed rollers 44 and 46 to be independently wound upon their respective take-up spools 48. For this purpose, each leading tape end may be suitably fastened to its actuated take-up spool so' as to be dragged around therewith into a transferred roll formation.

As will presently be explained, rotation of the feed roller about its own axis is purposely kept relatively slow to bring about a corresponding low rate of tape advance. The rotation of the roller gear 45 is however, kept somewhat faster than the restricted rate of tape travel with the re suit that the slipping disc gear 49 tends to drag along the take-up spool 48. The braking action on part of the supply spool 5! is utilized to maintain the tape in a uniformly taut condition. The respective tapes are independently advanced into operative position in a crosswise relation to the spindle axis and each tape continuously restores a fresh virgin cutting surface to the abraded region of the treated strand 2|. At any fixed spindle speed, the described tape feed devices provide for a substantially uniform tape advance through out the entire tape length. It is pointed out that my tape take-up means essentially resides in the positively actuated feed roller 44 and its mated idler 46, since these elements alone will function to unwind the supply spool and to continuously advance the tape to the work piece without need of any additional spool 48 to take up the spent tape thereon. The term feed roller means as used in the claims, is intended to cover any of such take up elements embodied either singly or in combination.

'It is preferred to. work with arelatively wide, flat faced abrasive tape of about 2 inches in width and to so control the feed rate thereof that the tape coating may be substantially spent in a single passage between such take-up and supply spools. This aspect assumes particular importance when operating upon fish line coatings or the like soft filler mediums because such abrasive tends to load the interstices and thereby shorten the effective life of a sanding tape. The use of a conventional endless abrasive of the short span, open belt type would require frequent renewals to similarly retain its virgin cutting properties. As sharply distinguished therefrom, my preferred practice consists in advancing each of the several tapes toward their respective cutting zones at a comparatively slow feed rate, the rate of line travel longitudinally through the driven head, being preferably kept at least five hundred times faster than the corresponding tape advance so as to maintain an effective high cutting speed therebetween. It is also intended to provide for an ample distributed supply of abrasive tape in order that my machine may be given a correspondingly augumented processing capacity and kept in continuous operation for a prolonged period without requiring any shut down for tape replacement.

The compact storing of tape supply'in multiple courses, permits of uniormly and repeatedly grinding treated strands to an exact predetermined diametral size. Furthermore, the intensity of the tape cutting action is kept inherently restricted and not allowed to ruin such coated strands. In the present instance, the abrasive effect of the tape is self-regulating and maintained in a proportionate relationship to the line travel, which procedure materially reduces the hazard in wastage of treated line material as compared to the use of a fast moving abrasive.

As will be understood, all these associated and axially offset spools rotate or oscillate in unison with their respective heads and which several heads may be angularly shifted or staggered relative to the common spindle axis so that the successive tape pairs impart a. substantially round finish to the treated product. My invention also contemplates the use of one or more stationary heads that are likewise equipped with abrasives. A pliable work piece 2| may be threaded under tension through the whole series of tubular spindles l4 and upheld against undue sag by the use of a plurality of sustaining guides such as 54 (see Fig. 2). The suspended strand is then regularly dragged between the several pairs of abrasive tapes at a predetermined rate of travel that is partlydependent upon the finish requirements and the diametral line size, since a lesser line surface may be properly stroked at a corresponding faster linear rate of production for any given series of abrasive heads. Instead of using duplicate tapes for each head, a single length of tape might also be given a return bend formation to similarly engage the treated line in diametrically opposed relationship.

As a further refinement, I provide for an upstanding backing jaw 55 of the radially adjustable type such as is disclosed in Fig. 6, of which the inward jaw face positions the non-abrasive side of the tape 52 with respect to the spindle axis. the tape width and medially thereacross, said jaw may be pivoted at 56 with respect to its retractible supporting member so as to compensate for any misalignment on part of either backed tape. Opposed to my tiltable jaw and pressing behind the non-abrasive side of the complementary tape 53, is shown a plunger actuated jaw 51 and these jaws are respectively disposed in a straddling relation to the spindle axis. Such opposing jaw may be slidably encased within a suitable guide barrel equipped with a spring adjusting screw.

The squeezing jaw 55 extends crosswise of A small compression spring 58 thrusts the movable jaw 51 towards .its mate and this spring tension is herein set to exert a light predetermined cutting pressure upon the operatively interposed work piece 2|.

While rotating about the spindle axis, the plunger actuated jaw would normally tend to fly outwardly against spring tension and thereby reduce the desired cutting pressure. Such action is herein obviated by the use of a shiftable lever counterweight 59 that is adjustably set to exert an opposing centrifugal force in the direction indicated by the arrow C2, which is intended to substantially balance the centrifugal force of the jaw 51 and its plunger member. This disposition'insures the maintenance of a measured, substantially constant squeezing action upon the processed work piece, irrespective of the speed that may be given to the driven heads l5.

The spring 58 together with the adjustable counterweight 59, control to a nicety the abrasive grip exerted upon the work piece such as a fish line; the best results therewith are usually obtained by applying a relatively thin out during each successive grinding step. The provision of companion abrasive tapes for each spindle head, serves to balance the opposed lateral thrusts against the pliant line. It will also be observed that the respective duplicate rotating tapes are herein kept spaced about the interposed work piece so as to leave opposed radial clearance gaps therebetween through which the abraded material may be freely thrown oif centrifugally without accumulative or other tape pocketing effects.

Where such multiple spindle heads are employed, it is expedient to hold both the resulting longitudinal and perimetric line drags within moderate limits that shall be commensurate with the frailand inherently flexible nature of the treated fish line product. By oppositely driving adjacent head spindles, the line twist effect is counteracted and not allowed to build up accumulatively. In order to further prevent the heaping or other collection of abraded substances, the interior of the spindle l4 may additionally be provided with one or more blast tubes such as 60; as indicated in Fig. 3, these direct a stream of compressed air or other cleansing fluid toward the line 2| to clear the operative or grinding region thereof. The spindle may be recessed as at.

BI and the pedestal bearing counterbored at 62 to conduct the fluid to each such tube. A pipe 63 supplies said fluid to said counterbore and the sleeve It may be drilled with a series of registering apertures serving to maintain communication between the pipe 53 and the movable tube 66. It will be obvious that similar blast feed devices may be resorted to without an interposed sleeve.

Attention will now be directed to certain control devices for selectively changing the rate of tape feed from a centralized point located in the supplementary rear frame I l and which control may be made to function while my machine remains in operation. Referring to Fig. 5, the control shaft 26 is purposely made sectional and split at 64 with a supplementary shaft section 26A extending rearwardly for engagement with its pulley gear 33. The abutting ends of the shafts 26 and 26A may be coupled by a differential drive unit comprising a pair of oppositely disposed bevel gears 65 and 66 that are respectherebetween such as 61. The last named gears are shown housed within a yoke member 68 having a hub that rotatably surrounds a contiguous portion of the shaft section 25A.

A worm gear 69 is mounted upon the yoke hub to engage a manipulative worm I0 that is fixedly carried by the framework. The intent of such control gearing is to axially advance or retard the sectional shaft 26 relative to the running rear shaft 26A, the speed of the latter being fixed by the spur gears 32 and 33. The yoke 68 is normally held stationary by the worm 10 and the transmitted power carried across the shaft split 64 through said differential gear. When however, said worm is manually actuated, this will cause the idler gears 61 to roll upon the bevel gear 66 and thereby throw the mated gear 65 forwardly or backwardly, depending upon the direction of rotation given to the worm I6. As a result, all of the several ratchet eccentrics 25 carried by the control shaft 26 will be correspondingly shifted in angular relationship with regard to the respective drive eccentrics 36 mounted upon their shaft 29. As an equivalent, such differential gear may likewise be located in the drive shaft instead of the control shaft.

In order to gradually bring my grinding ma- .chine up to its full running speed, it is preferred to incorporate yieldable clutch means into the motor driven pulley 3| (see- Fig. 5). This clutch may be of the Weston multiple slip type comprising alternately disposed frictional discs such as H and I2 and equipped with a conventional thrust collar 13 adapted to releasably apply pressure therebetween in the customary manner.

Referring further to Fig. 4, the eccentrics 25 and 36 have their respective equal throws placed in opposite dead-center positions with their free strap ends rcversely applied at approximately the same distance from the spindle axis. For such angular disposition, the ratchet ring 23 will then operate in unison with the rocker arm l9 and substantially no relative movement will occur between the spindle I4 and its surrounding sleeve l1. Hence, the ratchet 24 remains engaged with a given ring tooth and the planet gear 43 will not rotate the trunnion 42 nor actuate the tape take-up spool 48.

In the event however, that the worm 10 should angularly shift the control shaft 26 with respect to the drive shaft 29, then the ratchet 24 becomes operative to bring about an intermittent tape feed.

For instance, assuming the drive shaft eccentric 36 should be run ahead as much as 90 into the relatively advanced position B of Fig. 4 while the control eccentric 25 stands on its inner deadcenter position A, then said drive eccentric will be moving the rocker arm l9 together with the head [5 clockwise about the spindle axis. At this time, a corresponding movement on part of the sleeve I1 is however blocked by the pawl 24 because of its operative engagement with a tooth of the now virtually stationary ratchet ring 23. As a consequence, the planet gear 43 is obliged to roll clockwise upon the master gear l8 which in turn sets up a tape feed movement through the roller 44.

When the rotating eccentric 36 reaches its inner dead-center position C, the control eccentric will have advanced into its mid travel position B, with the result that the rocker arm l9 now assumes an extreme dwell position while the eccentric 25 releasably brings the pawl 24 into engagement with a different ring tooth.

Upon a still further quadrature rotation, the

drive eccentric reaches the mid travel position D and is moving the rocker arm l9 and head l counter-clockwise about the spindle axis while the control eccentric is located at its outer deadcenter position C so as to again retain the ring 23 in a dwell position. Since the ratchet pawl 41 now looks the planet gear 43 against counterclockwise rotation, the sleeve is obliged to rotate in unison with the disc l5. Accordingly, a certain slip occurs between the sleeve l1 and the ring 23, whichin turn causes the pawl 24 to be further dragged backwardly into engagement with another ring tooth.

When the drive eccentric reaches its outer dead-center position A, the rocker arm l9 will again assume a dwell position while the control eccentric then stands in its mid travel position D. While the latter eccentric returns to its original position A, the pawl 24 operatively engages a ratchet tooth of the ring 23 and thereby rotates the sleeve ll counter-clockwise with respect to the circumscribed spindle [4, which relative movement actuates the planet gear 43 in the direction of the Fig. 4 arrow for tape feed purposes.

By turning the differential worm gear to run the eccentric 36 ahead to a lesser extent than 90, the rate of tape feed will be correspondingly reduced. A materially slower rate of tape feed for any given shaft lead adjustment, may be had by resorting to interposed double reduction worm gears more explicitly described in my previously cited copending application. It is pointed out that when the drive shaft coupling 30 is disengaged, my control shaft eccentric still functions to actuate the various feed rollers 44 and thereby advance the associated abrasive tapes, notwithstanding that the several spindle heads may remain stationary. While the spindle head is rocked at a fixed rate, each component tape is throughout its length, positively advanced to the work piece at a substantially uniform feed rate in one and the same direction while the head completes a back and forth movement, it being the intent to correspondingly speed up the work piece travel without wastage of abrasive material.

Instead of working with a transferred roll of abrasive tape as described, my machine may also be adapted to operate with an equivalent solid natural or artificial abrasive stone that is preferably given a striplike formation. As regards such modification, reference is had to Figs. '7 and 8 where the similar disc head ISA is mounted upon the tubular spindle MA which may be either rotated or oscillated by suitable drive means. The sleeve l6 may be kept identical with the Fig. 3 disclosure in that its master gear similarly engages the planetary gear 43 to rotate the disc pintle 42A in a fixed direction.

The outermost face of the disc [5A may be recessed to provide for complementary dovetailed guideways such as 75 that are transversely disposed with respect to the spindle axis. Each such guide way may be slidably fitted with a crosshead 16 and demountably attached thereto is a strip of abrasive stone 11. The respective abrasive stones or blocks are shown reversibly secured in place by the clamping end plates 18 together with a 'reenforcing backing plate l9 provided with adjustable set screws that permit of accurately aligning the abrasive faces of such gripped stones relative to the centered work piece MA. Said outermost disc face is further provided with a special heart shaped cam 80 and a follower 8|, the latter being reciprocatively mounted in a bored tained' by the use of complementary abrasive tapes. The cam 80 is designed to furnish a uniform cross-head travel for any given angular pintle' movement as contrasted with a sinuous travel, and thus maintain a substantially straight wear level along the whole cutting face of my ab-. rasive stones.

The Fig. 7 alternative head structure is more especially suited for grinding wires or other elongated metal strands or rods not likely to rapidly clog up and dull such limited cutting surface. In order to extend its life and otherwise secure the maximum of service from the abrasive stones, a blast line 60A again serves to direct a suitable cleansing fluid toward their oppositely disposed cutting surfaces. My striplike stone is purposely kept quite thin to reduce replacement costs and should one virgin face thereof become loaded with abraded material, provision is made to utilize its opposed unused face.

As intimated, it is the intent to regularly pass the work piece through the several heads in either a forward or reverse direction as fast as proper processing will permit. Where any unusually heavy surface grinding is to be undertaken, it is preferred to repeatedly run the treated strand through my machine at a relatively high rate of linear travel. Suitable strand reversing means of this kind are schematically represented in Figs. 9 and 10.

These devices not only rapidly advance a pliant work piece 2| but are designed to automatically bring the machine to rest prior to reaching the end of the reeled strand. In addition, interposed control means have been incorporated which maintain a constant linear travel rate for the work piece throughout the entire length thereof and these means are further designed'to relieve the take-up reel from the necessity of dragging such work piece while being simultaneously drawn through a series of abrasive heads. When applied to frail fish line or the like soft coated strands, any heavy line drag imposed directly upon the take-up reel, tends to cut or otherwise injure the processed coating thereof, particularly as regards the bottommost layer of a relatively long reeled skein. Furthermore, means are herein provided to maintain the strand in a taut condition while being processed and to safeguard the same by resilient means against'abnormal tension, especially while starting up my machine.

For this purpose, I equipped such grinding machine with a line dragging mechanism including power driven winch means about which the treated line may be coiled in non-slipping relationship. It is to be understood that the layout schematically shown in Figs. 9 and 10, is intended to be symmetrically disposed about the transverse center-line A-B and that for convenient iden tification, all such suppressed corresponding members will hereinafter be designated by their respective primed reference numerals.

After the flexible strand or work piece 2| is threaded through one or more of my several spindle heads IS, the respective strand end regions are shown independently looped about a pair of drag or winch drums such as 83 and 83' of which one such is selectively driven from the counter shaft 84. Each such winch drum is further shown provided with a plurality of perimetric grooves and may be pivotally carried in a separate drum housing to rotate in a transverse relation to the spindle axis. The respective drum housings may also pivotally mount an auxiliary idler drum such as 85 or 85'. Each opposite strand end. region need not necessarily completely circumscribe the winch drum, but is preferably wound in spiral formation about a drive drum and an idler drum in the indicated cross interlaced fashion with the strand terminals respectively carried onwardly to the flanged reel 86 or 86'. Upon reversal, these reels alternately function as a supply and as a take-up reel for longitudinally advancing such work piece. The grip afforded by the partially embraced drum grooves serves to drag and guide the advancing strand sidewise in spaced spiral formation without loop interference or surface scrubbing effects, although it will be obvious that a single power driven drum having strand loops-coiled solely therearound may be made to operate in a. similar manner.

The reel 86 is of comparatively large size to hold a skein of strand material thereon of several thousand yards in length but is preferably provided with thin flanges 81. that are purposely apertured to reduce the movable weight and its moment of inertia with respect to the pivot shaft 88. This shaft is shown mounted between a pair of bearings with one shaft end extended to provide for a worm. The cooperating worm gear 89 in turn drives a level winder mechanism including a guide finger 90 adapted to properly direct the treated strand 2| in layer courses while being fed on to the reel 86. As a supplementary control device, Fig. 10 discloses a spring actuated follower vane 9| that may be pivotally mounted about the bracket fulcrum 92 and the free end of which vane is disposed to floatingly ride upon the topmost reeled layer course.

The fulcrum end of said vane is further shown equipped with an oppositely disposed lever toe adapted to close a pair of electric switch pointsbe likewise but reversely actuated from a take-up spool to operate the switch. In accordance with the Fig. 12 wiring diagram, such switch points control a battery circuit including a relay 94 which may be made to shut down the electric motor 95 or to otherwise serve as a tell-tale device that notifies the machine attendant when the treated line has reached the end of its skein." Said motor drives the shiftable countershaft 84 in the indicated direction of rotation through the pulley 96, the latter preferably being of the same slip type detailed in Fig. 5 to cushion any abnormal motor torque and thereby prevent rupture on part of the dragged workpiece. If desired, pulleys 3| and 96 may both be driven from a common motor by suitably interconnecting the drive shaft 29 with the aligned shaft 84 to operate the reel means in unison with the spindle heads. Said motor is preferably provided with an automatic stepwise starting box to cooperate with my slip pulley and thereby further insure against jerky strand acceleration. When the unwound work piece 2| approaches the end of its skein, the switch 93 is closed by said vane and all working parts of my machine may thereupon be automatically brought to a standstill. As a further refinement, certain of my driven heads I5 may be equipped with a magnetic brake or equivalent means collectively designated as 91, which is likewise placedunder the control of the switch 93 as indicated in Fig. 12. Such brake positively applies a retarding force to the movable machine members to rapidly bring them to a stop without disturbing the threaded windings of the strand 2 I.

It now remains. to direct further attention to certain structural details associated with each of my grooved drag drums. As detailed in Fig. 11, each such rotatable drum 83 is equipped with a mounting shaft 98 that is here circumscribed by a helical spring drive 99 and this cushioned drive is arranged to resiliently transmit power therethrough to the drum. One overhanging end of said mounting shaft is provided with a driven bevel gear I00 and this operatively meshes with a driver mate IOI that is carried by the bodily shiftable countershaft 84. The companion mounting shaft 98 (not shown) also carries similar equipment except that the mated gear IN is now oppositely disposed with respect to its bevel gear I00. The complementary bevel gears IOI andIOI' are so spaced lengthwise of the countershaft 84 that when operative, only one such remains in mesh with its mated bevel gear in the manner of a selective clutch drive or reversing gear. Said countershaft may be longitudinally shifted by the manipulative lever I02 into its extreme rightward shaft position, when the hub of the bevel gear IOI will stand away from its contiguous bearing by the distance marked S and fall into meshed engagement with the gear I00. In the opposite or extreme leftward shaft position, the clearance space S will be taken up and the last named gears will become disengaged so that both drums 83 and are allowed to rotate freely. However, the reversely mounted set of bevel gears at the other shaft end will then be engaged, which in turn reverses the longitudinal travel on part of the work piece 2| whenever the shaft lever I02 is fully shifted into its dotted position.

The opposite ends of said shiftable countershaft 84 are each further provided with a drive disc such as I03 or I03 when engaged with the perimeter of the reel flange 81, the disc I03 serves to rotate the reel 86 in the arrow direction and cause the work piece to be evenly wound thereon. As will appear from Fig. 9, said drive disc and the gear IOI are simultaneously operative while the corresponding memberslocated at the opposite shaft end both remain inoperative. A light spring I04 yieldingly thrusts the engaged drive disc toward its reel flange 81. The diametral disc size is such that said reel tends to rotate at a speed that is greater than the predetermined rate of fastest strand travel; hence by reason of disc slip, the reeled strand will normally be kept taut. In the full lined lever position of Fig. 9, the mem ber 86 serves as a take-up reel but upon shifting the control lever I02 into its dotted position, this same reel becomes a supply reel. It will be apparent that such disc drum reels may themselves be made to directly reverse the treated strand without the use of any intermediary winch means.

When starting the machine and particularly while bringing the strand up to the relatively high travel speed herein contemplated, the loaded supply spool is likely to oifer considerable opposition to any rapid acceleration because of its added skein weight. During such starting period, the disc spring drum drive 99 comes into play and serves to ease the initial yank that might otherwise be imposed upon the dragged strand 2| in excess of its tensile strength. At the same time, the lightly tensioneddisc I03 may for a time, fail to rotate the take-up spool in a commensurate relation with the rate at which the drag drum is initially delivering the strand thereto.

To obviate any undue momentary sag entanglement and to otherwise prevent the slackened strand from slipping out of its drum groove, I may resort to a compensating pulley I05 of the transversely disposed line loader type that floatingly rides upon the tensioned strand but is made to drop to a lower level the instant that the strand tension should become slackened. After full speed has been established throughout all the working parts of my machine, the described reel devices are such that the strand 2| is rapidly advanced by the gear driven drum 83 and uniformly fed to the reel 86 in a reasonably taut condition without requiring frequent rethreading through the machine because of inadvertent strand rupture.

The intended mode of operation is thought to be obvious from the foregoing description of machine parts. In further explanation, it may be pointed out that the present aim is to provide for one or more rotating heads that carry an abrasive medium and have a common work piece threaded therethrough under tension, and to devise reel means that will carry an adequate supply of treated strand upon one reel and to process said supply while it is being transferred to a take-up reel. My shiftable control means permit such strand passage through the grinding machine to be repeatedly reversed until the desired degree of surface finish has been attained. The skein storage space of such light weight reel is preferably kept ample to allow'of running the pliant work piece through my grinding machine at a relatively high linear rate, preferably 500 times faster than the corresponding mean feed rate of abrasive advance, but without requiring frequent reel reversal.

In practice, I have been able to successfully finish an oil coated fish line with my machine at a travel rate of more than one thousand feet per minute. When the end of the strand skein is reached, the machine automatically shuts down until the attendant shifts the lever I02 and restarts operations in a reverse direction. By virtue of these instrumentalities, it becomes possible to work with but a single spindle head either of the oscillatory or rotating type and still obtain an exceptionally large productive capacity therewith. If desired, the position of the shiftable lever 12 may also be placed under the control of the relay 94 but it is preferred to have the machine attendant manually reverse the reels so as to insure a better machine supervision during such restarting operations.

As a distinctive feature of novelty embodied in my multiple machine over the prior art, a high speed longitudinal movement is given to the work piece itself so as to establishthe desired intensive cutting action with respect to a slowly moving abrasive medium. In addition, each spindle head affords an amply supply of fresh virgin abrasive tape that is continuously? fed tangentially to the surface of said work piece in a plurality of cutting zones. The combined abradingcapacity of such several cutting zones may be kept sufiicient in extent to allow of completely and rapidly finishing a baked fish line coating or the like relatively soft article in a single pass through my machine. This improved procedure has been found far faster than has been obtained by the use of a conventional reciprocative head type of machine in which a reversed stroking movement is imparted. to the abrasive lengthwise of a slowly moving processed line.

It is thought the foregoing rather explicit machine disclosure and its ramifications, will make evident to those skilled in this art, the outstanding advantages afforded by my novel surface grinding and polishing appliances, also that among such aspects, many are likewise applicable to an abrasive head that is completely rotated in accordance with the teachings contained in the above identified copending patent application, it being further understood that I reserve the right to modify any of my illustrative embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope. of my invention heretofore described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

I claim:

1. In a surface finishing machine, the combination of movably mounted head means adapted to treat an elongated work piece, a supply of abrasive tape of finite length carried by the head means and a localized region of which tape is placed into operative cutting engagement with the work piece, drive means for actuating the head, feed roller means serving toadvance the tape toward the work piece while the head is being actuated, means including a supply reel and a take-up reel serving to progressively advance the work piece axially through the tubular head in one direction, and control means for reversing the function of the aforesaid reel means to cause said work piece to advance in an opposed direction.

2. In a surface finishing machine, the combination of a series of tubular heads that are rotatably mounted and adapted to have a common work piece entered therethrough, actuated feed roller means carried by each such head, a supply of abrasive tape of finite length also mounted upon each such head with one tape end respec tively disposed to cooperate with the mated feed roller thereof and which tapes are respectively brought into operative engagement with a different surface region of the work piece, drive means rocking the several heads in unison about the engaged work piece, and means actuating one such feed roller to advance its cooperating tape in a single direction toward the work piece while the head associated therewith completes a back and forth rocking movement.

3. In a surface finishing machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means are brought into operative engagement with the surface of the work piece, drive means rocking the head together with the aforesaid abrasive means about the axis of the engaged work piece, and feed means advancing the abrasive means in a single direction toward the work piece while the driven head completes a back and forth rocking movement.

4. In a; surface finishing machine of the multiple type, the combination of a series of tubular heads adapted to have a common elongated work piece entered therethrough, separate supply spool means together with actuated mated feed roller means carried by each such head, a roll of abrasive tape wound around each supply spool with one roll. end region respectively disposed to cooperate with the mated feed roller means thereof operative engagement with a different surface region as measured lengthwise of the work piece, means for progressively moving the work piece axially through the several heads, and means actuating the respective feed roller means and thereby unwinding the aforesaid tapes off their respective supply spools while the work piece is being moved through said heads.

5. In a surface finishing machine, tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, a plurality of supply spool means for the head means, a roll of abrasive tape mounted upon each supply spool and which rolls respectively include a free tape end region and a corresponding medial portion,- the several media] tape portions being angularly staggered about the work piece in operative tangential engagement with the surface thereof, actuated feed roller means serving to unwind the respective tapes off their supply spools and to advance said tapes toward the work piece, and means for moving the work piece axially through the several angularly staggered tapes.

6. In a surface finishing machine, the combination of rotatably mounted tubular head means adapted to have an elongated work piece threaded therethrough, a reciprocative abrasive face carried by the head means and adapted to operatively engage the work piece, drive means actuating the head to impart a rotative movement to said abrasive face perimetrically about the engaged work piece, and means for reciprocating and thereby regularly feeding the abrasive face crosswise to the work piece while the head is being actuated.

7. A surface finishing machine including a movable tubular head member adapted to have entered therethrough an elongated work piece of finite length, a movable abrasive face carried by the head and which face operatively en gages the work piece surface, drive means actuating the head perimetrically about the work piece, feed means advancing the abrasive face to the work piece at a certain mean feed rate while the head is actuated, means progressively moving the engaged work piece axially through the tubular head at a rate of linear travel not less than five hundred times faster than said certain mean feed rate, and control means serving to reverse the aforesaid progressive axial movement upon approaching a terminal region of the engaged work piece,

8. In a surface finishing machine, a series of tubular head means that are rotatably mounted and adapted to have a common elongated work piece threaded therethrough, separate abrasive means carried by each such head and which several means operatively engage said common work piece, drive means rocking the respective heads in unison about the axis of the work piece, and feed means advancing the several abrasive means to said work piece in a proportionate relation to the rocking movement imparted to said heads.

-9. In a surface finishing machine, the combination of a plurality of tubular head means that are rotatably mounted and adapted to have a common elongated work piece entered therethrough, separate abrasive means carried by each such head and which means are brought into operative engagement with the work piece, drive means for actuating the respective heads perimetrically about the work piece, feed means for each such head and which means are operatively interconnected with the aforesaid drive means to automatically advance the respective abrasive means toward said common work piece at a certain mean feed rate whenever the heads are actuated by the drive means, and control means including differential gear means for simultaneously changing the aforesaid certain rate of advance of the several feed means from a common point while the heads are being actuated.

10. In a surface finishing machine, rotatably mounted tubular head means adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, drive means including a rotatable drive shaft serving to impart movement to the abrasive perimetrically about the work piece, feed means including a rotatable control shaft serving to continuously advance the abrasive toward the work piece at a certain feed rate while the drive shaft is rotated, and control means including differential gear means for selectively shifting the rotative relationship of one such shaft with respect to the other shaft to bring about a change in the aforesaid certain feed rate.

11. In a surface finishing machine, rotatable tubular head means adapted tohave a work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, drive means including a rotatable eccentric that imparts a rocking movement to the head and its carried abrasive means, feed means including another rotatable eccentric together with cooperating ratchet means and which feed means serve to advance the abrasive toward the work piece, and control means for shiftably altering the angular relationship of the respective eccentrics while the head is being rocked.

12. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have a pliant work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which abrasive operatively engages the work piece, means actuating the head to impart a relative movement between the abrasive and the work piece, means feeding the abrasive to the work piece, a pair of driven reel means having said tubular head interposed therebetween and which reel means respectively have the work piece wound thereabout, and clutch means for selectively driving either of the reel means in opposite directions to correspondingly drag the work piece axially through said head.

13. In a surface finishing machine, an axially tubular head adapted to have a pliant work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, driven winch drum means having the work piece looped thereabout in spiral formation and serving to progressively drag the work piece through the head and to deliver the work piece in a radially offset relation with respect to the tubular axis of the head, and take-up reel means arranged to receive the delivered work piece thereon.

14. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have a pliant work piece entered axially therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, means actuating the head to impart movement to the abrasive perimetrically about the work piece, reel take-up means, a rotatable winch drum having the work piece looped thereabout to progressively advance the work piece through the tubular-head and deliver the abraded work piece to said reel, and

aoaasoa drive means including a slip device serving to rotate the drum and reel at differential speeds.

15. In a surface finishing machine, an axially tubular head adapted to have a pliant work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, a pair of rotatable winch drums having said tubular head interposed therebetween and which drums respectively have the work piece looped thereabout, complementary reels that are respectively located outwardly beyond each of the aforesaid drums in a contiguous cooperative relation therewith, and drive means including clutch means for selectively driving one of the drums and its contiguous reel in unison.

16. In a surface finishing machine, a tubular head. adapted to have a pliant work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, a rotatable winch drum having the work piece looped thereabout and serving to progressively advance the work piece through the tubular head, power driven means positively rotating the winch drum, and a resilient drive interposed between the last named means and said drum to transmit power therethrough and serving to cushion the winch drum.

17. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have entered therethrough a pliant work piece of finite length, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, means actuating the head to impart movement to the abrasive perimetrically about the work piece, means including a rotatable reel having the work piece coiled therearound and which means impart a progressive movement to the work piece through the tubular head, and follower vane means floatingly riding upon the reel coils and serving as a tell-tale device.

18. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have a pliant work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, means actuating the head to impart movement to the abrasive perimetrically about the work piece, means including a reel having the work piece wound therearound and which means progressively advances the work piece through the tubular head, motive means operating the machine, follower vane means floatingly riding upon the reel windings between certain predetermined riding positions, and control means actuated by said vane and which means serve to shut down the machine operation when the vane assumes one extreme riding position.

19. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which means operatively engages the work piece, motive means driving the head to impart movement to the abrasive of finite length carried by the head means and a localized portion of which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece, feed means including a driven roller and a mated separable idler roller having the tape interposed therebetween, means actuating the head means to impart movement to the abrasive tape with respect to its engaged work piece, and counterweight means for said separable roller and which counterweight by centrifugal action thrusts the last named roller toward its mate while the head is being actuated.

-21. In a surface finishing machine, a tubular head adapted to have a work piece entered therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape carried by said head and a portion of which tape is brought into operative engagement with the work piece, feed means advancing said tape onward toward the work piece, and tiltable backing jaw means arranged to squeeze the operatively engaged tape portion toward the work piece, said jaw being pivotally supported by the head and serving to compensate for misalignment of the tape backed thereby.

22. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have ,a work piece entered axially therethrough, a supply of abrasive tape means carried by said head and a, medial portion of which tape is brought into operative engagement with the workpiece, feed means serving to advance the tape means toward the work piece, a pair of relatively movable backing jaws that are oppositely disposed upon the head in a straddling relation about the head axis to yieldingly grip the work piece and abrasive tape therebetween, spring means applying a measured abrasive pressure between said jaws, counterweight means for one such jaw, and drive means actuating the head to impart a rotative movement to the jaws about the head axis and thereby subjecting the counterweight to centrifugal force, said counterweight being arranged to counterbalance the corresponding centrifugal force exerted by said one jaw and to substantially maintain the aforesaid measured abrasive pressure irrespective of the rate of head movement.

23. In a surface finishing machine, a rotatably mounted tubular head adapted to have an elongated work piece entered therethrough, a striplike abrasive block that is relatively thin in proportion to its length and provided with a pair of opposed cutting faces, crosshead means slidably mounting said block upon the head with one cutting face brought into operative engagement with the work piece, clamping means reversibly mounting the respective cutting faces of said block, drive means actuating the head to impart a rotative movement to the operative block face about said work piece, and means reciprocating said block while the head is actuated.

24. In a surface finishing machine, an axially tubular head adapted to have a pliant work piece entered therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which abrasive operatively engages the work piece, driven feed roller means advancing the abrasive to the work piece, driven winch means serving to progressively move the work piece longitudinally through said head, motive means rotating the winch means and the feed means in unison, and control means including a shiftable clutch arranged to command the motive means and further including a reversing gear for changing the direction of rotation of the winch means with respect to that of the feed roller means.

25. In a surface finishing machine, an axially tubular head adapted to have an initially tensioned work strand entered therethrough, a compensating loader disposed to noatingiy ride upon said strand, abrasive means carried by the head and which abrasive operatively engages the work piece, driven winch means serving to progressively drag the work piece longitudinally through said head, motive means, and clutch means of the slip type commanding the starting or the motive means to bring about a gradual acceleration on part of the dragged strand and which loader maintains said strand taut during such startingpe'rlod.

26. In a surface finishing machine. an axially tubular head adapted to have a tensioned strand suspended therethrough, abrasive means carried by the head and which abrasive operatively engages the strand, feed means advancing the abrasive to the strand, driven winch drum means progressively dragging the strand longitudinally through said head, take-up reel means receiving the delivered strand thereon, and loader means serving to obviate slackening oi the strand in the region 01. said winch drum.

VERNON R. PALE-AB. 

